Market Cross, Grade I listed market cross in Barnard Castle, England.
The Market Cross is an octagonal stone structure built with a Tuscan colonnade featuring arched openings on the ground floor. The upper level displays alternating Venetian windows, and the building bears Lord Barnard's crest along with a hand-painted stone inscription panel.
The building was constructed in 1747 by Thomas Breaks, a wool merchant, to provide a sheltered marketplace for local farmers' wives. Throughout the following centuries, it served multiple civic functions including courthouse, fire station, jail, dairy market, and town hall.
The square has long served as the social center where townspeople gathered to buy and sell goods, hear announcements, and conduct local business. Over time, it became a symbol of community identity and remained the focal point where residents conducted daily affairs.
The structure sits at the junction of The Bank, Newgate, and Market Place, making it easy to find when exploring the town center. Visitors can view it from all angles while walking around the square and examining the architectural details and inscribed stone panel.
The weather vane atop the roof bears two small bullet holes from a shooting competition held in 1804 between a Teesdale Legion soldier and a Streatlam Castle gamekeeper. These marks remain visible today and serve as a tangible reminder of this curious local contest from two centuries ago.
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